so we've got pentagon budget issues coming up. so there's some talk about him wanting to hang on and try to manage the budget issues that are going to hit the pentagon over the next few months. host: we're taking your calls with david jackson, the white house reporter for u.s.a. today. first up is doug from oklahoma on the democratic line. good morning. caller: good morning. i had a question about geithner. hadn't he said something earlier about wanting to leave? guest: that's correct. host: around the inauguration was the quote. host: how would you feel about geithner leaving? do you want him to go as a democrat? caller: that's a good question. no. no. guest: the caller is right. geithner has said publicly he wants to leave around the nomination. but with the uncertainty, i don't think the administration would want him to leave as long as these issues are hanging. so we get a fiscal cliff this deal and i think he's going to be gone by the end of the month but i think it's kind of up t in the air. host: says a contender for his jo